Pump attachment for outboard motors



June 2, 1964 E. o. JOHNSON 3,135,214

PUMP ATTACHMENT FOR OUTBOARD MOTORS Filed NOV. 29, 1962 INVENTOR.

United States Patent 3,135,214 PUMP ATTACHMENT FOR OUTBOARD MOTORS Earl 0. Johnson, 708 Church St, Fort Frances,

' Ontario, Canada Filed Nov. 29, 1962, Ser. No. 240,873 5 Claims. (Cl. 103-87) This invention relates generally to auxiliary water pumps and more particularly to a device adapted to utilize the thrust of an outboard motor propeller in such a manner as to channel the, water thrust therefrom into a specially designed cowl, the water thereafter issuing under pressure. via a conventional hose for jet or spray distribution to. any selected area.

In many instances the provision of a simple and effective water pump is of considerable importance, this being particularly so in the more remote areas, summer cottage locations and the like. In these circumstances a source of pressurized water isinvaluable and has application to innumerable uses such as localized firefighting, replenishing of water storage tanks, automobile washing, etc.

To comply with this requirement various devices have heretofore been proposed consisting generally of special pump equipment drawing water from adjacent lakes and streams, thereafter discharging the water from hoses at a suitable pressure. In certain cases, the pumping equipment is powered by boat engines, being coupled to the drive shaft of an outboard motor, the propeller of which is first removed.

While these prior devices achieve their several intended purposes with varying degrees of success, a closer examination of their construction and operation reveals certain inherent disadvantages, a chief one being cost. Provision of a reliable compressor pump capable of being driven by a boat engine is a relatively costly item and presents a capital outlay many people are not prepared to invest in, particularly in the case of summer cottage vacationers.

Therefore, having in mind the utility of such a provision and being aware of the disadvantages attendant upon prior equipment of this nature, it is my intention to provide a pump attachment for outboard motors referred to hereinafter as a pump attachment, which dispenses with the necessity of a compressor unit.

Another important object of the instant invention resides in the provision of a pump attachment which is quickly and easily mounted on an outboard motor, no removal of the propeller being required.

Yet a further object of my invention is to provide a pump attachment which incorporates a screening medium thereby ensuring that the water passing therethrough is substantially free from obstruction, weeds or the like.

Still other objects of this invention reside in the provision of a pump attachment which comprises a minimum of parts, costs much less to manufacture than existing appliances designed to achieve similar results, and requires little or no maintenance due to its having no moving parts.

These and other pertinent objects and features of my invention will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description of parts and assemblies, and when taken in conjunction with the following drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pump attachment embodying the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional side elevation of the invention illustrated in FIG. 1, taken on the line 2-2.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, a pump attachment generally designated by the arrow includes a cowl 11 of cupola like configuration. Cowl 11 which has a first open end 12 referred to hereinafter as inlet 12 and a second open end 13 referred to hereinafter as outlet 13, is

3,135,214 Patented June 2, 1964 substantially cylindrical for the greater part of its length, tapering thereafter to a terminal neck section 14 adapted to threadably receive a conventional hose coupling 15 and hose 16.

A filtering screen 17 adapted to conform to the inner diameter of cowl 11 is located transversely therein, and is so formed as to allow the unrestricted passage of water therethrough While preventing the passage of any object sizable enough to cause an obstruction within neck 14 or hose 16. a

A symmetrical hydrofoil section 18 located rearwardly of screen 17 and centrally within cowl 11 has its rounded front section 11a facing toward inlet 12 and its tapering rear section 11b directed toward neck 14. Hydrofoil section 18 is held rigidly in position by means of a plurality of radially disposed stays 19, each of stays 19 having one end fixed to hydrofoil section 18 and its opposite end affixed to the inner walls of cowl 11.

Mounting means adapted to retain pump attachment 10 in position on an outboard motor assembly, include two sets of bar clamps, an upper set 20 and a lower set 21. Clamps 20 and 21 each comprise two bars 20a and 2111 respectively, bars 20a and 21a projecting forwardly of inlet 12. Upper bar clamp 20 is adapted to receive and retain a section of an outboard motor frame 22 above the propeller 23 of an outboard motor, lower bar clamp 21 being likewise adapted to receive and retain a section of outboard motor frame 22 below propeller 23, clamps 20 and 21 being attached to frame 22 by conventional wing nut means 24.

In assembly, pump attachment 10 is mounted over propeller 23 and clamped to the outboard motor as heretofore described. It should be noted that propeller 23 is housed within the forward part of cowl 11, sufficient clearance being effected to prevent any danger of fouling between propeller 23 and cowl 11.

It will be readily understood that the mounting of pump attachment 10 to an outboard motor is rendered extremely simple by virtue of the pivotal characteristics of such motors, the assembler merely swinging the outboard motor clear of the water and affixing pump attachment 10 thereto, thereafter lowering the outboard to its operative position again.

In operation propeller 23 rotating within cowl 11 acts as an impeller drawing water through inlet 12 and projecting it rearwardly through screen 17, whereafter it is pressurized by having to pass over and around hydrofoil section 18 while following the contours of cowl 11 into the restriction of neck 14.

This action results in a considerable pressure increase, controllable by throttle adjustment on the outboard motor, and the subsequent discharge of water through the nozzle of hose 16 is of sufl'icient force to project the water for a considerable distance.

The general design of the individual parts of the invention as explained above may be varied according to requirements in regards to manufacture and production thereof, while still remaining within the spirit and principle of the invention, without prejudicing the novelty thereof.

The embodiments of this invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A pump attachment for outboard motors including a cupola like cowl having a first open end capable of receiving an outboard propellor assembly, and a second open end of reduced diameter; a hydrofoil section located substantially centrally within said cowl; and mounting means for the attachment of said cowl to the framework of an outboard motor.

2. A pump attachment for an outboard motor, comprising:

a cupola-shaped cowl having an enlarged open axial end facing toward said open cylindrical end section end adapted to be coaxially located about a convenof said cowl; tional outboard motor propeller; said cowl further and clamping means on said cowl adapted to fasten having a restricted open axial end longitudinally said cowl in a fixed position relative to the frame of displaced from the intended propeller location; 5 an outboard motor.

means on said cowl adapted to operatively fix said cowl 4. A pump attachment for an outboard motor as de relative to an outboard motor frame; fined in claim 3 further comprising:

and a bulbous hydrofoil section fixed to said cowl and a meshed grid extending across the interior of said cowl located coaxially intermediate theintended propeller adjacent the enlarged end of said hydrofoil section location and said restricted open axial end of said 10 adapted to prevent entry of debris beyond the open cowl. cylindrical end section of said cowl.

3. A pump attachment for an outboard motor, com- 5. A pump attachment for an outboard motor as deprising: v fined in' claim 3 wherein said cowl includes an outwardly a cupola-shaped cowl having an open cylindrical end directed portion in communication with said restricted section adapted to coaxially receive a conventionally 15 outlet opening; mounted propeller of an outboard motor, said cowl and hose means operatively connected to said portion.

further including a coaxial tapered section of decreasing interior diameter formed integrally with said References Cited m the file of thls Patent cylindrical end section and leading to a restricted UNITED STATES PATENTS outlet opening formed therein; 20 960,775 Baldwin June 7, 1910 a bulbous hydrofoil section fixed to said cowl and 10- 1,596,459 Schmidt Aug. 17, 1926 cated therein at a coaxial position between said cy- 2,551,371 Grigg May 1, 1951 lindrical end section and the restricted opening, said 2,847,966 McIntosh Aug. 19, 1958 hydrofoil section having an enlarged longitudinal 2,947,259 Writhg et a1. Aug. 2, 1960 

1. A PUMP ATTACHMENT FOR OUTBOARD MOTORS INCLUDING A CUPOLA LIKE COWL HAVING A FIRST OPEN END CAPABLE OF RECEIVING AN OUTBOARD PROPELLOR ASSEMBLY, AND A SECOND OPEN END OF REDUCED DIAMETER; A HYDROFOIL SECTION LOCATED SUBSTANTIALLY CENTRALLY WITHIN SAID COWL; AND MOUNTING MEANS FOR THE ATTACHMENT OF SAID COWL TO THE FRAMEWORK OF AN OUTBOARD MOTOR. 